Irish musicians to play at Upper Bout

Traditional Irish musicians Paddy Keenan and John Walsh will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at The Upper Bout Guitar Store, 723 S. Neil St., C, as part of the Piper's Hut Concert Series.

Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens. Kids 12 and younger are admitted free.

Keenan was born into a family steeped in traditional Irish music. His open-fingered style of playing has been traced from the style of such great "traveling" pipers as Johnny Doran, as well as that of his own father and grandfather. In the '70s, Keenan was a founding member of the legendary Bothy Band; his virtuosity on the pipes, with the ferocity of his playing, made him its driving force. Since the break-up of The Bothy Band, Keenan has pursued a solo career, playing concerts worldwide. He also has composed and arranged music for several film projects.

Walsh is an Irish guitarist who lives in the New York area. He grew up in Kilkenny, Ireland, where he picked up his first instrument, the tin whistle, under the supervision of Brother Jacob at the CBS school in Callan, County Kilkenny. After learning some tunes on the whistle, he progressed to playing his mother's guitar, under the tutelage of a local musician, and soon discovered the local music scene.